Feed mechanism



F. V. HART.

FEED MECHANISM. APPLICATION man D'Ec.14, 191e.

Pandsept. 14,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

faz/enfer F. V. HART.

FEED MECHANISM.' APPLICATION F'ILED DEc.14. 1916.

1,352,746, Ptehmdsept. 14,1920.

/To all whom t may concern:

Trng. .para

ERED v. HART, E LYNN, MASSACHUSETTSAssIeNoR, BYiviEsNEvassiclfNi'viEN'rs,` To.

UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, or riirERsoN, NEW JERSEY, A ooRroiRATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Be it known thatgI, FRED '-V.. HART, a'citizen of the United States,residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in F eed Mechanisms;and

' I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertai'ns yto make, and use the same. i i

This invention relates to, mechanism for feeding a succession ofarticles vor blanks from a magazine or supply-holder.

y zo

In feeding articles successively from a supply, it is sometimesnecessary that certain of the articles,.as fed, occupy positions,relative to the articles fed before and afterward, which are-differentfrom the'relative positions occupied by the articles'in the vma gazineor supply-holder. This is particu! larly true in the 'case ofwedge-shaped heellifts. Such lifts-,owing to the fact that they taperfrom the rear 'edge to the front edge,

can not berstacked loosely in a magazine unless substantially halfofjthe lifts be `vturnedA in a position opposite to that of the otherlifts, so as to `balance the thick edges of half of the lifts againstthe vthin'edges of the other lifts. Accordingly, it has been -proposedto,y stack Vsuchwedge-lifts in alternatinvpositions, that is, with thethick edge of each lift adjacent the thin' edge ofthe next lift in thestack. VWhen lifts are fed from such a stack, however, if it be desiredthatthey all be fed in similar positions with respect to their thickerand thinner edges, as

is necessary in feeding the lifts automatically to machinesin which theyare utilized in the manufacture of heels, special provision is necessaryfor turning the lifts al1- to similar positions either after, or' inconv nection .with,the operation of feeding them.

The object Vof the present invention is to produce a feed-mechanism, ofsimple construction andoperation, bywhich articles may be f edsuccessively and may, at4- the same time, beturne'd so as to bringtheminto a required relative position'other than that in which they arestacked and arrangedin the magazine or supply-holder; More pars largerscale.

. EEED ivIEoiifirrisisr.

"speemation of Letters Parent.` Patented' sepefi., 1920;Appii'catidnniei December 14,' i916, ffseriai N0."13 6',935 Y lacuiariy, the object or the; inveatiofi'istoi produce a mechanismbywvhich wedge-` shaped heel-lifts, stacked in alternatingpositions,may; be fed,'one by vone,"all"inl the same positionwith respectto theirthicker o and thinneredges.

To the foregoing end, it'visl'proposed to Y the invention, the articlesare turned while 'in the magazine, prior` to ltheir discharge therefrom,but 4the invention, kas defined Ain the claims, is of suliicientVbreadth to include turning the articles either before, afterf'orl ivduring the discharge thereof.;`

A machine for 'feeding'articles in the man- Vnerjust set forth islillustrated inthe accompanying drawings, inwhich VFigure -1 is'faelevation; and'liig. 3 is a'partial'rse'ction on the line 3f?) in Figi,but on. a slightly Vrh@ invention is iiiustaaed embodied plan-view ofthe machineg'fFig. 2 is a sideinV a machine adapted particularly for:-feeding wedge-shaped or tapering blanks, such as lthe wedge-lifts'used'in themanufacture of heels. The blanks are stacked ina magazine whichcomprises Ifour parallel n'ieinbers,

bars. V,These membersclare mounted, inV ver# 12,' and are fixed thereonby means of brack- 14, 6, 8 'and 10, havingthefform` ofiangle'- ets 14;fsecured to the turntable by binding- 4 screws.v gated openings in thebrackets, as shown vin the magazine-members maybe adjusted toblanks ofdifferent sizes.

The blanks arel placed' in the Y magazine with their-lateral edgesagainst thellanges` v e 10o 16 on [the magazine members, and theseflanges are cut away at different levels,'as

The screws project through elon'b shown in Fig.Y 2, in accordancewiththedi1 5.,

rections in which the successive blanks are- Y tical aXis, after thevdischarge ofeac'h blank from the bottom of the stack, the blanks, ifexpelled from the magazine in the same direction, 'will all bedischargedwith their thick edges to the left, as shownV in Figs. 1 and 2, and withtheir thinner. edges to the right..

4The turntable 12 is fixed on a vertical shaft 18, which is journaled ina sleeve 20 ldepending from an upper plate 22. This plate constitutes apart of the frame of the machine, and it is supported, in horizontalposition, by uprights 24 which connect it rigidly with a horizontalbase-plate 26.

The Weight vofthe magazin-e and its contents, and Vof the'turntable, issupported by a ball-bearing 28 inclosed within the sleeve 20.V`v Theturntable and the magazine are actuated by rotation of the shaft `18,`and forV this purpose a rgear 32 is ViiXed to the flower end of theshaft. This gear copervartes ,with a mutilated pinion S4, which is`fixed on a power-shaft 36, journaled vertically in bearings onthe'frame-plates 22 and 26. The pinion 84 has the number of teethnecessary to turn the gear 82 through halfy of a rotation at leachengagement, andthe pinion is rotated constantly by theV powershaft, thisshaft being provided with n a sprocket-Wheel 38 which is connected, by asprocket-chain 40, with any suitable source of power. voperateswithan'automatic machine for oplVhere the feed-mechanism `'co eratingupon the articles fed,'the Vchain is connected with the mechanism. ofsuch machine, sogthatthe feed-mechanism may be actuated in timedcoperation therewith.

- Aftereachhalffrotation of the shaft 18, itsV movement is arrested,.and l'urtherv rotation of Vthe turntable isprevcnted, until the nextengagement of thefgears, by` a spring-pressed detentV 42 which slidesinto "engagementwi-th one or the other of two hametr1callyarrangedrecesses in the turntable, as shown in Figs. 1 vand 2. l

The blanks `are expelled from the magazii-ne by means of a Vplunger inthe form Aof a thin strip 44 of sheet-metal. .This plunger lis vliXed,at one end., to .a block 46 which slides toward and from the turntablein a g-uideway 48 formed inthe frameplatc 22,' and the amplitude ofmovement of the .block is such as to cause the end. ofthe plunger toengage the edge of the lowermost blank in the. magazine and expel thisblank from the magazine, the operativeend of the plunger reaching theposition shown in dot-and- For this purpose a cam 50 is fixed on thepower-'shaft 36, and ythis cam engages a roller 5201i an arm 54whichprojects integrally `from a sleeve 56. This Vsleeve turns -on a rod58.1'ixed vertically .in the frame- Y i plates. A second 60, projectingVintegrally from thesleeve 56, is connected, by

a'link 62, `with an arm 64.v The arm 64 isA lintegral withal sleeve 66,which turns upon a second rod 68 fixed vertically in the frame" plates.A secondY arm 70, integralvwiththeA .sleeve 66, is connected, by ashortlinkf 72,

with the slide-block 46. Y

Then the projecting part of thecam 5() engages the roller 52, it a-cts,through the connectionsjust described, lto advance the slide-block andthe feed-plunger, and since the powerfshaft moves in the direction ofthearrow in F v1, that is, counter-.clockwise as shown'in that figure,this movement ofthe feed-plunger y,occurs shortly ,after a half-rotationof the magazine and While the latterA is'V stationary.

The return-mo`vement o' and its actuating mechanism is produced-by 'aspring 7 6, of which oneend is Vattached to Y vthe arm While the otherend is attached to a pin .7 8, which is secured, for conven- 1ence,'1nthe rod 68. After .each returnf movement of theVfeed-plunger, themutilated pinion 34 again acts to. impart a half- Y rotation to themagazine. y v

The feed-plunger acts with suicient rapidity to /eject each blankrom theframethe feed-*plunger Y sov plate 22,v and the blank may'thenbereceived in avchute or conductor 77 ,of any suitable form,forf,.conveying it, in the position isn which itis dischargcchto the ma-A,chine (not shown)rin which the blank is 't0 be utilized.

Y lVh'ile the inventionhas beenp'articularly Vdescribed ,as` embodied inmachineffor feeding wedgehaped heel-lifts or blanks otsimilar form, itwill be apparent that it vmay beused in connection with Varticles ofother forms and charatters, wherever, in

.flact, it is. necessary that the articles as ted `be turned topositions other'than the rela- I tive positions whichthey occupy in themagazine or,supply-holder.V It will also be apparentthat theinvention isnot 4limited to `the details of construction -and operation .of theillustrated embodiment thereof, but that it may be embcdi-edinvariousvother i'crms within the scope of the following claims.

The 113131.116 afndfSOOp 0f thefpresent inven'tion having beenindicated,fand its preferied embodiment having beenspecificallydescribed, what is claimed as new is: ,1

-l.-Feedmechanism having, in combination, a 'rotatable magazine'forholding aA sively from theend of the stack; and means for partiallyrotating the magazine between -the removal of the successive articles insuch manner thatthe' removed articlesV arek sim-ilarly disposed. 1 ff2.--Feedmechanism having, in. combination, a magazine in which thearticles toibe fed may be stacked; means for expelling artiton, Aav`magazine for'holding to bey fedf'a ticleslaterally, from the endof thestack, in succession; and means'for imparting a halfrotation to themagazine after each operation of the expelling-means.

8. Feedmechanism having, in combination, a magazine ladapted to holdWedgeshaped'blanks stacked with their thicker and thinner endsalternating; an expelling device movable transversely through thebottom'of the magazine in'adirection to engage the lovvermost blank atone of lits lateral edge's'andfexpel it from the magazine; and mechanismfor reciprocating the eX- pelling device, and for imparting successivehalf-rotations to vthe magazine timed to ralternatevvith the operationof said device. i fi. Feed-mechanism having, in combinartion, alrotatable holder for a stack of dis 'similarly disposedtaperingarticles; means for` successively engaging articles in the stack andremoving them 'from the holder; and means for turning the holder,between successive removals, through adefinite angle .so as to, controlthe angularv positions in which the respective arti'c'lesarefremoved. 5.Feed-mechanism; for delivering successivef Wedge-shaped heel-liftshaving, in

combination, means for holding a' supply o f Vsuch lifts stacked inalternate positions as" to their thicker and thinner edges; and

mechanism 'for removing Vlifts vsuccessively from the stack .andforturning the lifts,

as an incident of the feeding operation, substantially in the planes oftheir faces to them all, as fed, to the same position with respect totheir thicker and thinner edges. Y f

6. Mechanism for feeding Wedge-shaped v I heel-lifts having, incombination, means for holding a stack of such lifts arranged With theirthicker and thinner edges alternating, and means cooperating With saidfirst named means for removing the lifts successively from the stack,and for turning the lifts, substantially inthe planes of their bringthem all, as fed, to the same position with respect to their thinnerandthicker edges.

7; Feed-mechanism having, in combination, a magazine for holding a stackof alternately 2disposed tapering articles' of sheet material; means`for removing said articles from 'one' end. of themagazine; andineaiisfor partially; rotating said articles in 'their vown planesv tobringthem vinto :similar posi'- tions.

8. Ileedfmechanism having, in combination, a magazine for holding astack of alternately disposedtaperingv articles of sheet material; meansr actir'ig. upon Ysaid articles 'for successively removing Ythemtherefrom;

and means for turning said articles through 1S0-degreesin their ovvnplanes to cause them to-bevsimila'rl'y disposed@ Y 9. *Feed-'mech anis'mhaving, in.- combinaplurality of articles stacked in opposite reso.v

lation with' respectl to certainfcharacteristics;means Aforlsuccessively Yremoving articles from one end of the stack Whilemaintaining the articles intheir original planes; `andfmeans foreifecting'- intermittent relative half-rotations of said :magazine andsaid removing the articles.

means 'i -to similarly f position ticles `in alternately?disposed'face-to-face 55,

"means for'engaging successive articlesfat f *Y stacked 5 relation;intermittently operated one end `oit' the vstack land `rer'novin'g themtherefrom ;v and means` actingl during periods of rest of said removingmeansA for 'impart-` ing ,successive halffrotations to said magazine, i

ticles having',r in

ticles Y means for removing articles' successively from said holder; andmeansfor'effec'tin definite vrotative movements of Vsaid articles .abouttheir substantially" central 11; Feed-'mechanisnigfor 4'delivering ,Icombinatiton,.aholder'for Y v a stack of'di'ssimilarly' disposedytapering ar-V 165g "12. FeedQmechanism' for* delivering uni-V f formlytapering articlesjhaving, 'combinavity of said articles in alternatelydisposed tion, means Lforfholdingftobe fed afplural-V tionV in theirovvn planes and about their substantially central axes and for transfer-Y ring them successively fromsaid holding means to a receiving pointWhere they oc-l cupy similar positions With respect to their tapers. 1

sociated therewithl fory holding a stack of 13. Feed-mechanism having,in combina;V Y tion, a rotatable member; a magazine as# dissimilarly fdisposed articles to be fed;

means .for intermittently rotating said member through denite anglescorresponding tothe relative positions of the articles in d the stack;means *for restraining said rotatable member and its associated4magazine position; vand means acting upon the successive articles atone endV of the magazine during periods of rest. lof saidy rotatablemember and magazine forl removing said articles from said magazine insimilar posi-V tions.

14. Feed mechanism for delivering tapering heel lifts of sheet materialhaving, in

combination, a lmagazine' for holding `a stack of such lifts disposedalternately and in faceto-face relation; means for intermittentlyrotating said magazine through-180 degrees to bringthe endmost liftsfinthe stack into similar positions ,andmeans for removing the, endmostliftsv so positioned successively.`

15. F eed'mechanism for delivering` tapering heel lifts of sheetmaterial having, in combination, amagazine for holdinga stack of. suchlifts disposed alternately and in fa'ce-to-face relation; meansintermittently rotating said magazine through 180 degrees to bring theendmost lifts in the stack into similar positions; and reciprocatingmeans for'engaging one of the tapering side edgesv of .each successiveendmost liftand ejecting it from the magazine.

16. F eed-mechanism for deliveringy taperingarticles having, incombination,=a rotatable holderffor a stack of said articles Y .meansVfor holder, means actingV during periods of rest disposed `in oppositerelation, means normally disposed adjacent said holder and adapted to beprojected through the lower end .thereof to successively remove thearticles therefrom, and means for turning' the holder, betweensuccessiveV removals, through.

adefinite angle so as to control the angular positions in which ,the4respective articles are removed.' Y, l 17. Feed-mechanismforfdelivering tapering articles having, in combination,

lrotatable holder fora stack of Vsaid articles disposed' inoppositerelation, a stationary support adjacent said holder and in theplane of 4the bottoml Wall thereof,

intermittently i rotating i said ofsaid holder for pushing the lowermostarticle from the holder and-upon said support, and means for guiding andmaintaining control of said article as itj is pushed upon said support.

. 18. Feed mechanism having, in combination, a Wedge lift holderadaptedto contain Wedge lifts stacked in oppositely disposed,

relation, supportingmeans upon Which lifts are deposited, means forsiiccessivelytrans-` ferring lifts from said holder to said supportingmeans, and means for causing said lifts to occupy similarpositionsfuponjsaid supporting means. .i

19. Feed mechanism having, in combina- .tion, a holder for blanksarrangedin a'k stack in alternate relation, andmeansacting on thesuccessive-blanks in said holder for transferringl them to a point ofdelivery, said holder and saidtransferring mechanism beingrelativelyrotatable in the plane of the blanksto cause .the deliveredblanks to Aoccupy similarppositions. Y Y o `20. Feed mechanism having,incombination, supporting means upon Which heel` Y lifts are deposited,a holder for lifts arranged Ain a stack with their breast edges facingalternately in oppositev directions,

and means for transferring'the vlifts successively from the stack tosaid supporting means, saidholder andv said transferring means beingrelatively rotatable in the plane upon said supporting means in similarpositions with respect to their breast edges.V

tatable movements of the holdingfmeans and the` transferring means g inthe plane ofthe articles to cause the'Y articlesto be delivered ignsimilar positions with respect to their thick and thin ends. f i

lof the liftsto `cause the lifts to be rdeposited

